Dreams After Death
by Kenshin's Gal
Summary: After Kenshin dies, Kaoru begins to have dreams about him. This is the story that was never written. What happened after Shinta's death
1. Chapter One

After Kenshin dies, Kaoru begins to have dreams him. As she lies on her own deathbed, Kenji and Yahiko try to comfort her as her final hours draw nearer. This was the story that was never written. What happened after Shinta's death.  
  
WARNING! This fan fiction has spoilers for the movie Samurai X: Reflection. If you don't want to ruin the movie turn back now. You will also need to have seen the movie to get the story.  
  
A/n: Let me just tell you, this story was a bitch to write. First, I wrote it on the computer in my room. But, the disk drive went bad, so I couldn't save it onto a disk. So, I had to write the whole story down on paper and transfer it onto my other computer. GRRR!  
  
Dreams After Death  
  
"Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you..."  
  
"That is how I know you go on..."  
  
-Celine Dion, My Heart Will Go On  
  
~~  
  
Yahiko was the one that found her. Sitting under the sakura trees, hunched over Kenshin's still form in her arms. At first glance, it looked like a raven-haired angel bending over and whispering a secret into a red-haired boys ear, with all the cherry blossoms floating around. Suddenly, reality hit Yahiko like a kick in the gut.  
  
"Kaoru!" Yahiko dropped the bag he had been carrying and raced over to Kaoru and Kenshin. He placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her.  
  
"Kaoru!" What's going on? Why are you outside, why is Kenshin here? Are you two OK?" Yahiko's mind was going in a thousand different directions at the speed of light. But when Kaoru didn't respond, he gave her another shake. "Kaoru, answer me, NOW!"  
  
Slowly Kaoru looked up into Yahiko's eyes. She held Kenshin tightly, although his form remained still. Her face was streaked with red, and tears wetted her cheeks and brimmed at her eyes. Even though, a sad smile was plastered to her pale face.  
  
"Yahiko, he did it. He was forgiven. He has atoned for all those he has killed."  
  
Yahiko was confused. He watched as kaoru took one gentle hand and bushed aside a lock of red hair.  
  
Yahiko's eyes widened. "His scar...Its gone." His voice was barely above a whisper.  
  
Kaoru nodded. "My Shinta...My love now knows peace." The tears that brimmed at her eyes began to fall. Tears of happiness, for now her husband had finally found atonement and tears of sadness for his passing,  
  
Yahiko knew from the moment that kaoru had shone him the missing scar that Kenshin was dead. It had been a sickening feeling that had alerted him. Now a bitter, metallic taste filled his mouth. His body felt cold and his throat began to tighten. Looking at Kaoru, he noticed a far away look in her eyes. It was then that Yahiko realized that he needed to get her back to the dojo.  
  
"Kaoru, stay here. I'm going to ho get Kenji. We'll take you and Kenshin home. STAY HERE!" Looking around, he quickly ran back to the road and back to the dojo, his feet beating hard against the firm ground.  
  
Kaoru didn't even respond. Fresh tears sprang up in her eyes as she fell forward, pressing her face into the collar of Kenshin's gi. His hair rubbed against her face as she breathed in his scent. His body was quickly losing its warmth, the kind of warmth that only Kenshin had. Silent sobs wracked her body as she held his form to her.  
  
"Shinta, I love you Shinta. I miss you so much..." she trailed off as her sobs grew stronger.  
  
"Kaoru, why are you crying?" a warm pair of fingers grabbed her chin and gently lifted it from her husband's collar.  
  
Kaoru's eyes grew wide. "Sh-Shinta." Her voice was barely a whisper. At first, she thought she was hallucinating. Her body ached so much from the disease that she wouldn't be surprised. But as the fingers cupped her face, she began to believe.  
  
A faded version of Kenshin stood before her, The years had melted from his face, and he looked like he had fifteen years ago. His body was free from the bandages and red marks made from the disease. He looked completely different from the man she held in her arms.  
  
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in Spirit World?" Kaoru's voice was soft. Her head was beginning to spin.  
  
Kenshin withdrew his hand from Kaoru's face. "I cannot leave this world without you, Kaoru. You ARE my world. And I shall wait for you." Slowly he extended the hand in which had held Kaoru's cheek. "Kaoru, take my hand and follow me."  
  
Kaoru didn't have to think. She had been waiting for Kenshin to come back for years. And he had come back. Twice.  
  
Taking her own weak hand, she reached out to take his. Their fingers touched, she was almost there-  
  
"Kaoru, come on, we're going back to the dojo." Yahiko lifted Kaoru into his arms. She was remarkably light, telling Yahiko that she was losing weight again.  
  
Kaoru's eyes widened as Yahiko tore her from Kenshin's grasp. "No, Shinta!"  
  
"Father is right here, Mother. Don't worry." Kenji hurried up beside Yahiko and Kaoru. Kaoru's eyes flickered over Kenji's face and Kenshin's body. Glancing over to where the ghost Kenshin had been, Kaoru saw the spot was bare.  
  
It was all too much for poor Kaoru. The death of her husband, and now seeing his ghost, added with the disease that was draining the life from her exaughsted her. She fell into a deep sleep right in Yahiko's arms.  
  
'Near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the heart does go on...' 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter 2  
  
Kaoru awoke in her bed at home. Looking over, she saw the teacup that Hiko had given her was next to her. Grabbing it, she held it close. Maybe it was the design. Maybe it was the fact that only she and Kenshin had had ever drank from it. Whatever it was, it really didn't matter. The cup seemed to calm her spirit whenever it was near. Holding the cup away slightly, she traced the patters of the tree branches with her fingernail.  
  
"Oh, your awake. How did you sleep?" Yahiko came in and sat next to Kaoru's futon.  
  
Kaoru shook her head and held the cup to her breasts. "I dreamt of Shinta all night." She was surprised by the tone of her voice. It was barely there. Her eyes lowered as she smiled sadly She knew she only had a few days to live.  
  
Yahiko nodded, then suddenly thought of a question. "Kaoru, how come you call Kenshin Shinta all the time?"  
  
"He asked my to call him that before he left. When he got home, he wanted me to call him Shinta instead of Kenshin."  
  
Yahiko nodded, then stood. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Horrible. I'm in terrible pain. I feel like the living dead."  
  
"Don't say that."  
  
"Well it's the truth. What do you want me to do, lie?"  
  
Yahiko gave a small smile, remembering those words in which he had spoken to Kenshin and Kaoru. "Well, I'm going to send Megumi in, OK?"  
  
Yahiko didn't wait for a reply and walked out. A moment later, Megumi hustled in.  
  
~~  
  
Kenji sat outside his mother's room, watching the sakura petals fall in the courtyard.  
  
He had been mourning the death of his father more than he had expected. He had never been close to Kenshin; he had never been home enough. Yet as he carried his father's dead body home yesterday, he had almost come to tears. Carrying his dad's lifeless body home had been the hardest thing Kenji Himura had ever done.  
  
Hearing the paper door slide open, Kenji scrambled to his feet.  
  
"Megumi-san, how is she?"  
  
Megumi sighed and looked back at the door with a long face. "I can't lie to you, Kenji-kun. Your mother is deteriorating at an unbelievably fast pace. Kaoru will be dead in two days at the longest. There is nothing we can do now but wait and make her feel as comfortable as possible." Megumi bowed her head as tears threatened to fall. "I think that we all have a sense of doom hanging over our heads now that Kenshin has lost the battle with the disease. He was the person whom everyone thought could beat anything. But, he finally lost. So now no one holds any hope. There is no reason to."  
  
Kenji nodded and passed Megumi heading back into his mother's room. Seeing her lying on the futon made her look so helpless. Her face was pale and gaunt. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes flickered under her lids.  
  
"Mother..." Kenji fought back tears. "What could you be dreaming about..."  
  
~~  
  
'Kaoru walked along a firm trail in a meadow of grass, passing by spots that she had been at with Kenshin. First, it was the street that she had attacked Kenshin, accusing him of being the Hitokiri Battousai. Next, it was the bathhouse, where he had seen her naked, then the dojo training hall where the battle with Saito had occurred. The pond where Kenshin had left her for Kyoto, Hiko's hut, coming home from Kyoto. Riverside, where Kenshin had first kissed her, Yahiko's room where Kenji was born, and finally, the clearing, where Kenshin had died in her arms.  
  
Suddenly Kaoru found herself in the dojo training hall. In her hands, she held a shinai and across from her...  
  
"Shinta."  
  
He gave her a cocky smile, one that she had seen him give Yahiko before they spared. "You know, when I was alive, I never got to challenge you."  
  
Kaoru gave a seductive smile and crossed her arms. "ARE you challenging me?"  
  
The former assassin took an offensive stance. Kaoru nodded.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes." Quickly she reached up and pulled the ribbon from her hair, allowing the dark curtain to frame her face. She then slipped off the two bulky layers of her kimono and took a defensive stance, waiting for Kenshin's attack.  
  
Before she could blink, Kenshin was behind her. She whirled around and blocked his attack, the wood cracking in the still air. Kaoru then switched from defensive to offensive, bringing the shinai up then down towards Kenshin's stomach. But she was no match for the Hitokiri Battousai. Her attack missed. Suddenly he was behind her again, the wooden sword held at her neck.  
  
He gave a triumphant smile. "I win."  
  
Kaoru only watched the shinai with impressed eyes. If she was right, the battle had lasted a whole minute and a half.  
  
Sighing, she pushed the wooden sword away from her neck. "I think you where going easy on me. That's not fair. I can take whatever you throw at me."  
  
"Oh?" Kenshin's face was lit up with a bright smile, one of pure happiness. There was no sadness to it, nothing. Not the ones he used to give Kaoru when he was alive.  
  
She felt Kenshin's hand take her own. He then backed away, still holding it.  
  
"Come on Kaoru, let's go..."  
  
Kaoru nodded and started forward-'  
  
"Mother, wake up Mother!" Kenji gently shook her shoulders. He watched as her eyes flutter open, her eyes dull and lifeless.  
  
"Kenji..." Her voice was raspy and her breathing was wheezy.  
  
The young swordsman scooted closer to his mother. "Yes, what is it?"  
  
"Where...where is...is Shinta?" You didn't...bury him yet...did you?"  
  
Kenji put his hand on his mothers. She was defiantly worse. Yesterday, she was able to speak in full sentences. Today, she was stammering about. "He's in the other room, lying in bed. We haven't buried him yet."  
  
Kaoru closed her hr eyes and nodded. "He wants me... to come with him."  
  
Kenji cocked his head. "Come with him?" He furrowed his brow. "You mean follow him into death."  
  
Kaoru nodded her head, her eyes opening into slits. "When he died, and when I dream, he comes to me. He holds out his hand... and then tells me...but every time..."  
  
"You get ripped back here, away from Father." Kenji finished for her. She nodded once more and finally opened her eyes fully.  
  
"You wouldn't be mad at me... if I followed him?" She looked her son in the eye.  
  
"You have waited for him for so long, mother. For years you have waited patiently for his return. And he has come back once again. Next time he comes, go ahead and follow him." Kenji smiled sadly and squeezed her hand. "Follow your heart, Mother. I know you will choose best."  
  
Kaoru gave him a weak smile. "Thank you son/" She then closed her eyes, exaughstion taking her body into a deep sleep.  
  
Kenji stood and walked out of Kaoru's room. He followed the hallway and came into the drill hall. Inside, Yahiko was practicing furiously with the Sakabatou.  
  
"If you don't slow down, you're going to hurt yourself." Kenji crossed his arms and sat on the polished wood of the dojo floor. On the wall, the plaques hung dull and dusty. Since Kaoru had taken ill, the dojo's cleaning had slowly become non-existent.  
  
"How's Kaoru doing?" Yahiko didn't even falter in his training. Kenji watched as he suddenly sheathed the sword, threw out his right leg and brought the sword out in the form of the Battou Jutsu attack.  
  
"Tonight."  
  
"Why do you think so?"  
  
"She says father has been coming to her in her dreams, telling her to follow him. She asked me if it was ok if she followed him."  
  
Yahiko sheathed the sword and glanced at Kenji. "And?"  
  
Kenji bowed her head. "What do you mean 'And'? Don't ask such stupid questions, Yahiko." 


	3. Chapter Three: The Final Hours

Chapter Three  
  
The Final Hours  
  
'Kaoru. Come with me. Come with me. The words echoed inside her head. Slowly Kaoru made her way to the clearing by the pond. Stopping suddenly, she darted behind a tree, peaking her head out.  
  
In the center of the meadow, a woman sat, a mans head in her lap. She gently stroked his fiery red hair, talking quietly and looking out over the pond.  
  
"I wonder how long the cherry blossoms will last. Kenji, Yahiko, Tsumbame, Megumi-san. I want to have a cherry blossom party and invite everyone. I want to have one the next year too. And the year after. Who knows, by then Yahiko might be a father." The woman giggled softly. She then drew her attention back to the man.  
  
"Shinta? You're so tired, aren't you?"  
  
Carefully she reached down and pushed aside a lock of hair. A small gasp escaped her lips as tears formed at her eyes. A moment later, they fell to the man's cheek.  
  
"Shinta. Its.... finally finished." Her tears came quicker now, and she leaned over the man's prone form, her sobs echoing around the clearing.  
  
A sense of déjà vu and a deep sadness filled Kaoru's body. "That's...me. And Kenshin. Shinta. As he died."  
  
Suddenly, a hand was on her shoulder. Turning around, Kaoru found herself in Kenshin's arms.  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
Kaoru snuggled into his gi. "Yeah, but give me a few minutes. I have to say goodbye to a few people."  
  
She pulled away carefully and looked into Kenshin's eyes.  
  
"Ill wait for you." He said. Kaoru nodded and kissed him lightly before turning anf heading toward the crying woman.'  
  
~~  
  
"Yahiko...Kenji..."  
  
Both men jumped from a light sleep at the words uttered by Kaoru.  
  
"Yes Mother. We're here." Kenji scooted closer to her bedside.  
  
Kaoru smiled faintly. "Shinta....He's here..."  
  
Yahiko was at Kaoru's side in an instant. "I'm going to miss you, Kaoru."  
  
She looked at him with a faint smile. "Don't be sad, Yahiko. I will always be with you." She took his hand and kissed it softly. Her gaze then turned to Kenji.  
  
"I will miss you, Son. I leave the dojo to you and Yahiko. I love you."  
  
Kenji leaned forward and Kaoru kissed his cheek tenderly. When he pulled away, tears had formed in his eyes.  
  
Kaoru took a shuddery breath. "Yahiko..."  
  
Yahiko nodded his head and leaned in.  
  
"Kenshin has one last request."  
  
Yahiko nodded solemly again. "Anything."  
  
"He wants us buried together in the clearing by the pond... Where you found us..."  
  
"Yes Kaoru. I will see that it is done."  
  
Another ghostly smile graced Kaoru's lips. "Also, tell everyone goodbye for me."  
  
Kenji nodded. "Yes Mother."  
  
Her eyes where getting heavier as Kaoru finally stopped fighting. Slowly she looked up and over her bed. Kenshin stood before her, his arm outstretched to help her up. Smiling gently, Kaoru reached up, her hand firmly grasping his. "Then my time here is gone..."  
  
Her arm fell to her side and her eyelids slid shut as her shallow breathing died away.  
  
~~  
  
Kenshin gently pulled Kaoru up from the bed. He held her close as the two watched Yahiko fall forward to Kaoru's body and Kenji bow his head. Kenshin suddenly started for the porch, Kaoru in tow. As he continued walking, she stopped.  
  
"What is it?" Kenshin stopped to face his wife. As with him, the years had melted from her face, reveling a young girl known fifteen years ago.  
  
"The wind chime. I never took it down."  
  
~~  
  
Kaoru was gone. She was really gone. The reality hit Yahiko like a ton of bricks. His throat tightened as silent sobs wracked his body. Kaoru was all he ever had. All he had ever really known. She was the only one to show him the motherly live that he had ever received.  
  
"My sister..." His voice was soft as he fell forward, grasping the quilt in his hands. He then sat up and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"My sister. I will miss you."  
  
After about ten minutes, Yahiko had finally managed to get control of himself. A gentle breeze wafted through the open doorway. Wait, he didn't remember opening the door. As he stood and walked outside, the wind chime began chiming softly.  
  
Kenji stood in the doorframe, his arms crossed and leaning against the worn wood. Yahiko approached him from behind and saw with great amazement at what Kenji watched.  
  
Kaoru stood at the wind chime, poking it softly. Kenshin stood beside her, his arms wrapped around her waist.  
  
"It's their souls." Kenji's words were barely audible as he watched the two.  
  
Three days later, Kenshin and Kaoru's bodies where laid to rest in the small clearing by the pond, just as Kaoru had asked them. Atop the grave of the two lovers where three items; flowers, a shinai and a small teacup, adorned with a tree branch in blossom. And as Yahiko and Kenji claimed, it you stood there long enough, a gently breeze would sweep through the clearing. And as it did, a whisper of voices could be heard.  
  
Along with the gently chime of the Kamiya dojo wind chime. 


End file.
